


Holiday Secret

by Rioghna



Series: Secret... [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-22 09:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13164330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rioghna/pseuds/Rioghna
Summary: Emma and Bae are visiting for the holidays and they have a big surprise.





	1. Heading for Christmas

Holiday Secrets

“What about this one?” Bae asked as he looked up from the list he was making.

“No,” Emma said flatly. “God no. Why do we even still have it?  We should have gotten rid of that chair two moves ago. In fact, I’m almost sure I left it in the last apartment, but the damn thing followed us. Are you sure this is going to work for us? I mean, your father doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who likes surprises. And what if he...”

“Em...” Bae said, coming and putting his arms around her. “First, if you think my father doesn’t know about the deputy position, you’d be wrong. The man is on the town council. Actually, he might be the city attorney, now that I think about it. He was once, I don’t know now though. Not a lot of lawyers in Storybrooke.”

“Yet another plus for the place,” Emma replied, leaning back against him. “But still...”

“Listen, we’ll have a hard time convincing him not to buy us the second biggest house in town as an accumulation of years of wedding presents. It’s going to be all right. Besides, Storybrooke is a great place to raise kids, you saw that. All that fairytale childhood stuff.”

“Yes, with your own wicked witch,” she commented, but she was smiling.

“Nah, that was her mother, trust me. Regina’s more...well, kind of the Evil Queen type.”

“I can see the resemblance, now that you mention it. So, we had best get back to it. I don’t want to have too much to do when we get back. The presents are ready to be loaded. Did you get the computer finished?”

“Yes. I think Henry will like it. Papa will also appreciate me using it. I know he feels like the presents weren’t a lot of use, but this will be the best of both worlds,” Bae said.

“Good, now, back to work Cassidy, lots to do,” she said with a grin.

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted and went to move the chair to the ‘get rid of’ side of the living room. They were going to be heading to Storybrooke soon for the holidays, that and to give his father and their son the hopefully good news. It was going to be interesting, but the timing was tight.

 

“Da...Darn it!” Belle exclaimed, modifying her language habitually. It was not the first time she had been reduced to almost cursing. In fact, it was getting to be an almost daily occurrence, again. The library had been suffering on and off from a series of malicious pranks.

It had all started around Valentine’s Day, or at least she thought it had. It had been a long and strange winter since the holidays when she had met Rum’s estranged son and daughter in law and they had all found out that Henry, the boy whose adoption by the mayor he had arranged, was actually his own grandson. The balancing act between them and Regina, with her long standing grudge against Rum, Bae, and by extension her and the library, had made it complicated.

Adding to that, she and their adopted kittens had just moved into the big salmon Victorian house with Rum, a move that had made them incredibly happy. Unfortunately, there was the other side. Her father had been furious when she moved in with Rum. Their rather rocky relationship had deteriorated to the point that he had taken a swing at her lover in Granny’s diner, a move that had earned the florist a night in jail, and a week’s ban from the diner, which, since he couldn’t cook, had hurt a lot more. So it was no surprise that, if they had started earlier, she was a little distracted.

Besides that, the first couple had been extremely small, annoying, and could have (at least a couple of them) been put off to stupid accidents. The library book drop had gotten wedged open during a particularly heavy rain storm, the city trash bin outside the front door had been turned over, spraying an exceptionally large collection of garbage over the front entry on the week when it was particularly full because the garbage man was sick. But that could have been the wind. Then there was a broken window, chewing gum in the back door lock, annoying but nothing she could see raising a fuss about. Besides, they were irregular, no rhyme or reason. She had just tried to ignore them. Most importantly, she had not wanted to say anything to Rum. She loved him, truly she did, but he was also inclined to be overprotective, and besides, he had been dealing with his son, his new found grandson, and Regina. She wanted nothing to intrude into that.

Henry was now very interested in being part of his grandfather’s life, so the balancing and coordinating had begun. Rum had plenty on his plate without her problems, especially dealing with Regina, who had hated both him and his son since Bae was a teen. So Belle carried on, trying to ignore it.

Unfortunately, the prankster (at least she hoped it was only one, she hated to think that more than one person could dislike her so much), did not like being ignored. The next few incidents had been more juvenile and nastier. One week it was dog poo through the library mail slot, then the markers for her monthly children’s craft days were stolen and the craft paper had all been glued together. Then someone loaded some rather graphic pornographic pictures to the library computer, the one the children used for school work. Fortunately she had checked the computer before anyone saw them.

But, coming as it did, right after her father had attacked Rum, and her ex had shown up at the library to harass her, meant that her nerves were stretched to the limit. Belle became jumpy. She started having trouble sleeping or eating and Rum became so concerned he threatened to take her to see Doctor Whale. The stress had come very close to destroying their new found happiness, when they had a giant row, and he’d left to sleep in the back of the shop. She’d cried herself to sleep, unwilling or unable to explain, but afraid that he was going to decide it had all been a big mistake.

She had been fighting a running battle with his own self worth issues since moment one, so she was torn as to what to do. The next day she had not seen him, and when he didn’t come home for dinner, she started to consider whether she should be packing up her things.

But when she went to open the library the next morning, he was waiting for her at the library door. “Belle, what is going on here?” he’d asked gently. The front doors had been paint bombed over night, their pristine white marred by an particularly awful shade of puce.

Belle had dissolved into tears and his arms. Rum carefully took her keys and led her inside to her office. Then he’d called Dove and the sheriff. After that, he’d plied her with tea while the whole sordid story tumbled out. Apparently she had not hid it as well as she thought. Henry had gone to his grandfather with his concerns after finding some particularly graphic magazines hidden in several library books. He had taken it on himself to go through the books and deliver them to Rum, not wanting to turn them over to Belle.

Rum had explained to her that he had only stayed away to give her a little space, and he didn’t want to spring the new knowledge on her unaware. “Didn’t want ye to think I was keeping tabs on you,” he said, his accent thickening with concern. “But once Henry came to me, I put it together. Belle, love, why didn’t you tell me? I was worried sick. I thought...” he’d stopped, and she realised just how selfish she had been, keeping it all in. Rum, the survivor of a rather dramatically failed marriage, had deep seated fears and insecurities where their relationship was concerned. “I thought you were regretting your decision.”

“No, no. Oh, I’m so sorry, I never...” She started crying again and shaking. Rum came and propped himself awkwardly on the arm of the chair and held her close until she calmed. “You had so much going on, I didn’t want to be a burden.”

“You could never be that, love,” he had told her.

When the sheriff arrived, she told him everything. Rum had turned the magazines Henry had found over to him in a brown paper bag, causing the rather shy sheriff to blush right to the roots of his hair when he looked inside. He’d told them he thought it was probably nothing dangerous, but had agreed to keep a closer eye on the library. Dove had cleaned away the paint.

Of course, the annoying Sidney Glass had tried to interview her about it. Rum had told him to get out before he sued and the newspaperman (she flat refused to call him a journalist) had fled with as much dignity as he could manage.

That seemed to scare the vandal for at least a while. Spring had arrived and with it Spring Break and the opportunity to get away. Rum had suggested a long weekend in New York, taking Henry to visit his birth parents. Mary Margaret volunteered to take care of the library for her, and Regina had agreed, somewhat reluctantly, after Rum said something to her that Belle hadn’t heard. For her part, the librarian offered to make sure they visited at least two museums, for educational purposes. Actually, Rum invited Regina to come with them. “Baby steps,” was all she had said.

When they returned, things had stayed quiet for at least a while. Belle had even, cautiously, begun to hope that the prankster had gotten bored, or tired, maybe just lost interest. Things weren’t perfect, she had another spectacular row with her father over Rum, when he objected to sharing her birthday dinner with him, and then he’d brought her ex along with when they agreed to meeting at a nice restaurant.

For his part, Gaston continued to be himself, boorish, brainless, and entirely too convinced of his own irresistibility. He’d tried to corner her alone in the library as she was closing up one night. Fortunately, Dove had been coming to look at the air conditioner. The big man who worked for Rum offered to show him the door, and Gaston left in a huff. She begged Dove not to say anything to Rum though, he didn’t like Gaston on a good day. Not that Dove liked him either.

Then the vandal returned with a vengeance two weeks later, breaking two windows, and glueing the book return shut. Then it was books that were coming back defaced with rude words and ruder pictures scrawled in them. It had not taken much to realise that whoever it was had fished the books out of the book return, which was basically a flap over a slot with a box to catch the books. She called the sheriff and Dove modified the book drop.

The next round was a few weeks after, this time harassing phone calls to the library number, occasionally heavy breathing. She didn’t much know what to do with that but Rum had dealt with it, picking up the phone when he was meeting her, and telling the caller that he was seeing to caller ID for the library, and that, after he’d seen them prosecuted, he would make it his business to see that they were never in a position to do it again.

Once again things stopped for a while, this time long enough not to ruin the visit by Bae and Emma.

Rum’s son and his wife came for a week to spend time with their son and them. The week had gone well, but Belle had noticed that Rum encouraged Graham to come around and visit, or the two of them to go out with him.

“Must be pretty quiet, being sheriff here,” Emma had said after the farewell dinner Belle had cooked on the day before they left.

“It can be,” he agreed. “Not at all like the city.”

“Bicycle thefts and broken windows? Maybe a runaway?” she’d asked.

“We have our problems. There are a fair few DUIs, the odd fight at the Rabbit Hole, the usual round of domestic disputes. Not much in the way of bicycle thefts, everyone knows who owns what. Until recently, we had not had much of a problem with vandalism, the only broken windows involving the odd baseball. I mean, in a small town it’s hard to get away with much. Your job is probably a lot more exciting than mine, I’m afraid,” Graham told her almost regretfully.

“Ehh,” she said with a shrug. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

 

“What are you up to Rum?” Belle’d asked later than night when they were alone.

“What is it that makes you think I’m up to something, love?”

“Because I know you and I know you have something in mind, now...”

“Nothing bad, sweetheart. Really. But everyone in town knows Graham needs a deputy, and Emma is very unhappy with her job.”

“And you would not be the least unhappy if they moved to Storybrooke,” she had added.

“I’ll not deny I would like Bae closer, and I think Henry would like it as well.”

“So you are hoping if you give them the chance, they will come to that conclusion on their own.”

“Exactly,” he’d told her with a lopsided grin.

“Regina will be furious,” she’d reminded him. He just shrugged.

 

Now, the holidays were coming again and this time, they knew that Emma and Bae were coming. In fact, they were coming later in the day, a thought which spurred Belle into action. There was not a lot of time. The library windows, which were painted on the inside with fake snow and decorated with snowflakes, were now also painted on the outside with fake snow, and some less pleasant words and drawings. There were only two days til the library Christmas party and she was getting worried about what the prankster was going to try next. Things had improved so much, she wanted nothing to interfere, especially since this was the first time Bae and Emma would be there.

After the first two years’ success, things were bigger and better. This year, she had even managed to convince Regina to participate, announcing the winners of the writing and drawing contests, and handing out the prizes to the winners. Sidney Glass was even on board, now that Regina was in support, publishing the winning entries in the paper the next day, with pictures. That was one less worry, but the other one was big enough.

Trying not to worry, she began her usual opening procedures. At least Rum had not been with her. He was taking the prankster personally. But today he was busy. Mary Margaret and David Nolan had bought a house and moved out. The loft was a very desirable apartment, and he was seeing to the preparations for leasing it again. In addition, the old library apartment where she had lived before moving in with him was going to finally have a tenant. Rum had admitted to her that he had been waiting for her to be certain that she ‘could put up with him’ (his words), before letting it. “I wanted you to have a place to go back to.”

But now, after the holidays and almost a year of living together, he was renting it again, to Ruby Lucas, Belle’s closest girlfriend. She and Granny had finally agreed that it was time for her to have her own place. The other advantage, Belle hoped, was that perhaps with someone in residence, the prankster would give up, or get caught.

But for now, she just had to prepare for the party, and for Bae and Emma.

 

“Are you sure about this?” Bae asked. They had gotten into town (okay, snuck) and gone straight to the Sheriff’s office. They had been planning this with Graham for the last couple of months, although he had agreed to keep in quiet til they told Bae’s father on Christmas. But Emma felt it was only fair that she tell Regina personally. It was going to be difficult on both of them, but she didn’t want to have any problems with her son’s adopted mother.

“I need to do this and do it by myself. You and she still have a lot of baggage,” she told him. “Stay and catch up with Graham.” Then she had gone off to the mayor’s office. Regina had been really surprised to see her.

“What do you want?” she asked when Emma said she wanted to talk to her. Already she was defensive.

“Just let me have my say, okay?” Then she laid it all out. The whole time, Regina was quiet. “The thing is,” Emma said. “I didn’t want to spring it on you, and I wanted you to know that we aren’t doing this to you. It’s about Henry, that and, well, Bae wants to be nearer to his father, and we wanted a change. Think about it like this, I don’t want to know about your private life, in fact, please, don’t tell me, but wouldn’t it be nice to have some uninterrupted time? If there is a deputy, that can happen, maybe Henry can stay over one night a week. We are adults, we can work something out.”

Regina started to say something but she bit it back. Yes, her first reaction was to tell the woman where to go, but, even though she knew Henry knew, still, she wasn’t comfortable having Graham over before he was in bad. It would be nice not to have things interrupted at an awkward juncture by a fight at the Rabbit Hole, or a wreck. Not that things were not...lately she had been wondering if perhaps she wanted more. Oh, Graham was a good person, good company and a very good lover despite his shyness, but they both knew it wasn’t going anywhere.

The problem was, Regina didn’t know what it was she wanted. Maybe a family, another child? She’d even given consideration to stopping her birth control, either with or without telling Graham. But that would never work. He would insist on asking her to marry him, and, well, she didn’t love him, and she knew he didn’t love her. It wouldn’t be fair, and she had always promised herself that she wouldn’t settle for less than love.

Her mother had always been a schemer, and, on balance,, learning what she had learned, Regina wondered if Cora had ever loved anyone. She had thrown her at Leo Blanchard, a man more than twenty years her senior. She’d always said that it was all about money and power. Regina had once, in a fit of something, asked Cora if she had ever loved Daddy. ‘Don’t be stupid,” her mother had said. She’d tried to take that as ‘of course I do,’ but in the back of her mind, Regina had always wondered.

Actually, the more she knew, the more she discovered about her mother, the more suspicious she got. She remember how her mother had hated Daniel. ‘You think you love him, but he will never amount to anything.’ Regina wondered if she’d been angry because she’d given up Gold, who was, by his own admission, practically a street kid who had made good, for stability and position. Had Cora really loved Gold? She knew the man himself had a lot of doubts about that, especially now.

But that was neither here nor there. They were better with each other. Actually, last week she had gone to the shop to speak to him about some things. ‘Regina, I know I am the last person you want to take advice from,’ he’d told her. ‘But maybe you should figure out what it is that you want, not what Cora wanted for you.’ She wasn’t exactly sure where it had come from but she had been thinking about it a lot. It had been hard to admit to herself how much she did because it was what her mother taught her. But, as she told him before, when he had invited her to join them in New York, baby steps. This first step was to agree with Emma Swan that she would not try to block her hiring or their move.

“At least you don’t have to worry about Graham working with a woman?” Emma joked after they had reached their agreement. Regina had even managed to smile at that. No, one of the things she envied about Emma and Bae was their absolute love and devotion for one another, just like Gold and Belle. She wondered if she would ever have that. After a little more awkward talk, they had said their goodbyes. It wasn’t like they weren’t going to see each other again. This year, Regina had agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to join them for Christmas dinner, as long as she had Henry for Christmas Eve.

 

“Hey Belle, do you know where my papa is?” Bae said as he and Emma entered the library. “Wow, this place looks fantastic.” They took in the snowflakes, the large tree, the displays of christmas books for all ages.

“Is he not at the shop?” Belle asked, coming out from behind the counter to greet them. “ He’s probably still at Mary Margaret’s place, well, her old place. It’s a nice loft on Main Street, above the insurance office. They just bought a house. It’s closer to the animal shelter and bigger. Mary Margaret...well, they are talking about starting a family. I don’t know if you knew it, but it’s apparently the house he and his brother lived in, before their mother remarried.”

“I kind of remember, he showed it to me once when we were riding our bikes. We didn’t move her until after his mother married Spencer and they moved. He never liked the man, not that I blame him, I never liked him, he just gave me a bad feeling, and Papa absolutely loathed him.”

“No, your father still loathes him. They manage to be polite to one another, but that’s just about it. Just enough not to cause a scene at town events. They are both on the council,” Belle explained. “It’s not gotten any better since you told your father about...her.”

“Not that they needed any more excuse. I don’t think that Papa had that one before,” Bae said. He was looking at Emma.

“It’s lovely. You should see it. But Mary Margaret has had it for a while, and he wanted to have the floors redone, and the painting, that sort of thing, or rather, Dove and Leroy are doing the actually work. He’s over there checking the progress and whether there is anything else to do. He wants to rent it after the holidays. Ruby and I used to talk about renting it, when David and Mary Margaret got engaged, but that was before...” She smiled a little. “Actually, why don’t you go over and meet him? I’m sure you don’t want to stay...”

The library door banged open and Belle’s least favourite person stepped in. “Hey Belle, you father wanted...What you doing here, Gold?” Gaston asked, registering the other people standing there.

“Could say the same for you, Gregory. I didn’t know you like to read,” he replied. _Or could for that matter_.

“Nah, I’m not into that wimpy crap. Not like you.” If he was trying to be insulting, no one reacted.

“Gaston, this is a library, kindly lower your voice,” Belle said in her best librarian tone. “And how many times do I have to tell you not to bang the door?”

“Sure Belle, I mean, sorry. I just came to bring this.” He held out a large potted poinsettia. “He said...”

“If my father wants to talk to me, he can just do it himself, he knows where to find me,” she replied sharply. “Now, if that’s all, I have work to do.”

“Belle, come on, don’t be that way.” He stepped closer to her.

“Lady asked you to leave,” Bae said, stepping forward.

“Stay out of this, Gold, or I’ll...”

“You’ll do what?” Emma asked, giving him a look that caused punks to pull up their jeans and consider being somewhere else. “Before you answer that, I should tell you that I’m a cop, and your sheriff and I have got a reciprocity agreement.”

“A...huh?” he asked, looking at her like she was speaking another language.

“It means I can arrest your ass for being a nuisance. Now, why don’t you get out of here. And don’t bang the door on the way out,” Emma said.

Gaston glared at all of them. Then he shoved the pot at Bae and turned to leave, muttering curses under his breath.

“Reciprocity?” Bae asked with a smirk.

“Hey, he didn’t strike me as bright enough to know what the word meant, much less that it was bullshit.”

“Thank you,” Belle said, shaking her head. “And no, he’s not. But my father knows I’m still angry at him.”

“I’m not even going to ask. So that lunkhead is the guy your father has been trying to get you with?” Emma asked, her expression complete disbelief.

“I forgot, you haven’t had the pleasure yet. Yes, that’s the one. But it doesn’t matter. You should go meet Rum. We’ll get together for lunch. You’ve been by the house, haven’t you?”

“Er, no, we...we were running late, traffic,” Bae said. Not that he didn’t think that Belle could keep the secret, but he didn’t want her to have to. Besides, he did want to see that apartment. It might be just the thing. “You sure you’re okay though? I mean...”

“I’ll be fine, Mary Margaret and Ruby are coming over to help getting things set up. Then Dove and Leroy and some of his brothers are coming to move the tables while we go have lunch. They want me out of the way. I’m a little clumsy,” she admitted. She took the plant from Bae and set it on the counter with a shake of her head, then she turned and hugged them both. Emma wasn’t much of a hugger, but Belle was different. “Now, you go on. I will see you at lunch. I’m so glad you are here.”

“Us too,” Emma said as they turned to the door.


	2. Trap

“Smooth Cassidy,” Emma said after they left the library.

“What do you mean?”

“Since when have you been interested in your dad’s property? Good thing she was too busy with Mr. Personality to notice. What is with that anyway?” she asked. “I mean, Belle’s smart, creative, and a nice person, and while I’m not sure what she sees in your father either, Gaston...well...”

“Isn’t? That I can’t tell you. I was gone before Belle’s family came, though apparently not too long. Gaston was born here, though. His dad was a big guy, loud, but that’s about all I remember about him. I can barely picture his mother, she was really quiet. Maybe Papa knows?”

“I’ll let you ask him, and then explain why you want to know. I bet Graham has him pegged as a known trouble maker, mostly drunk and disorderly and public nuisance.”

“Emm, you sure you are okay with this? I mean, busting drunks and traffic tickets, it’s...”

“Look, Bae, I’m not getting anywhere with the department, and the cost of living isn't getting any better. Here, the pay is good, the cost of living is cheaper, and...Look, I never had a family, not a real one, you know that. I don’t want...we both want to be closer to Henry, and if we have one of our own, I don’t want to face having to give up my career or risk getting killed in the line, and neither of us want to do that to your father. Just don’t you ever tell him that I said that.” She pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Who me? Never. I just want you to be happy.” They walked down the street.

“I think I will, I think _we_ will be.”

 

The apartment was actually exactly what Belle had said. In fact, while he was talking to his father, he could see Emma wandering around. He knew that look, she was mentally placing their furniture already. It was really hard not to just say something right then and there, but since his Papa had said it wasn’t going to be ready til after Christmas, he thought it was pretty safe.

Soon enough, they had finished their conversation with him, Leroy and Dove (well, actually Dove just mostly nodded) and headed to the Bug. He had promised his father that they would meet them at the diner after they went by the house to unload.

“Speaking of smooth,” he reminded her as he pulled out onto Main Street.

“What do you mean?” Emma asked.

“Come on, Swan, you did everything but measure the closets. Nothing suspicious about that at all.”

“It does have pretty great closets,” she admitted. “You think he’ll let us rent it?”

“I think he can be convinced,” he told her with a smile.

“We need to find out what it goes for, I’m not going to take charity,” she warned.

“Yeah, I’m with you there. So, you think that the bedroom off the kitchen will make a good office?”

 

“So Belle, I thought we agreed that we weren’t going to put fake snow on the outside of the windows,” Ruby asked as she set coffee cups down in front of Emma and Bae.

“We did, I haven’t put any new stuff up.”

“Then what were you doing this morning with the windows? I would have stopped but I was in a hurry, running an errand for Granny.”

“Oh, I...”

“Sweetheart?” Gold asked softly.

“It’s nothing,” she said. “The windows just needed a clean.”

“Which is why I have Leroy come by and take care of them, that and I don’t want you on the ladder. Has the vandal been at it again?” he asked. Ruby, sensing that she had put her foot in it, left them with menus and a vague comment about coming back. “I told you, you need to call the sheriff when it happens.”

“I didn’t want to disturb Graham. You know that the holidays are busy for him. It was nothing, really.”

“What’s going on?” Emma asked, cop instincts on alert.

“This is about those magazines, isn’t it?” Bae asked. When they both looked at him, he shrugged. “Henry told me about it. He said that you were taking care of it. I thought it was just...”

“There is no _just_ about it. There have been several incidents, more than. The library has been damaged, though only a bit, not to mention the stress. They range from tasteless and juvenile, to crude and obscene,” Rum told his son angrily. “Children could have seen those things,”

“How bad are we talking, I mean kids aren’t going to be traumatised by a few Playboys,” Emma said.

“Those were not...”

“They were _not_ just a few Playboys,” Gold responded. “And I’ve had enough of this. Belle, love, we’ve got to do something. But to do that, you have to report it, and let Graham take a report, gather evidence.”

“So there have been more than a few incidents?” Emma asked. “How long has this been going on? I mean, most of these guys give up pretty quickly, or get caught, but sometimes they escalate. Have they all been directed at the library or at you personally?”  Clearly, she was thinking like a cop.

“Oh, not at me, not really. I mean everyone knows how much the library means to me, but not anything personal,” she said dismissively.

“The obscene phone calls,” Rum pointed out. “Most of it has been annoying, childish rubbish, but...”

“Really, Belle, you shouldn’t have to put up with it. Any idea who is behind it?” Bae asked.

“The first thought would be one of the teenagers, but even Storybrooke’s answer to hooligans loves Belle and the library for the most part,” his father told him. “It’s not as if we have large gangs of vandals. There is the usual crowd down at the Rabbit Hole but that lot is more drunk and disorderly, maybe DUI.”

“Besides,” Emma said. “That kind of magazine, you have to be 18 or over, and I’d take a bet that you can’t get them in Storybrooke, unless someone was stealing his father’s. I take it that Graham is assuming ‘he’ and a single perpetrator at that. Thing like this, more than one is easier to get caught.”  She settled back, thinking.

 

“Thank you for this. It’s not necessary, it’s not as if you have even started yet,” Graham said. The library was dark, with only the security light and the street light providing illumination.

“No problem. Belle doesn’t deserve this, no one does. I mean, this is a _library_ for crying out loud.”

“Yes, and as hard as everyone’s worked to make a success of it,” the sheriff said, looking out the window onto the street. They had each taken up a position to watch the only two approaches to the library.

“Yeah, I am figuring as big a deal as this party seems to be, this asshole, or assholes, isn’t going to be able to resist. It’s probably the one time you can bet they will try something.”

“We can only hope. I haven’t been able to do this before, not a proper stake out, especially with the pranks being so random. The one time I tried, there was a vehicle vs. deer out by the town sign. This way...”

“This way, if you get a call, I’m still here. My question is this, who would do it? I mean, it’s not as if Belle’s got enemies.  If it was Gold, maybe...” Emma asked, leaning a little further back into the chair to avoid the headlights as a car turned around in front of the building. The idea had come to her while they were at lunch, and she had dragged Neal away as quickly as she could, saying she needed to get a last minute gift.

 

“What’s up, Em?” he’d asked the moment they were alone. “We don’t have any...”

“I just had a pretty good idea of how to really make Belle’s Christmas,” she’d told him as they hurried of to Graham’s office. Of course they have both instantly agreed to the plan.

“Heck, catch them and papa will get the great joy of charging them for damaging town property, suing them into the next century and or evicting them, possibly all of the above,” Bae told her with a smile. After that it was a simple enough matter. Emma had slipped out of the house just after ten o’clock while Neal was distracting his father, and Belle had turned in early because of the party. The only ones who noticed her exit were the kittens who had followed her into the kitchen, no doubt hoping for treats. Really, they were completely spoiled.

 

“I’ve thought about it a lot,” Graham said, distracting her from her thoughts. “I mean, Storybrooke has its share of trouble makers. No doubt you will meet them soon enough, but...”

“Hey, might as well give me the rundown. No time like the present, it’s not like we have anything else to do. So, what does Storybrooke’s most wanted look like? Gangs, drugs...”

“Drugs, less that most. Few years back there was an attempt by a group to bring drugs in at the harbour, but you’ve seen how small Storybrooke is, harbour master got suspicious and called me, and I called the state police, had it sorted pretty quickly. I’d not place a bet that there wasn’t the odd bit of whiskey that got brought in from Canada, but nothing major, the odd bit of weed, but we’ve more DUI’s than drugs. Gangs, well, the only thing like a gang is a group of boys from the high school. They call themselves The Lost Boys, led by a lad named Peter. He’s a smart one, probably go far, if he keeps out of trouble. They are mostly harmless, shoplifting candy and smoking fags out by the old toll bridge. Now Felix, his best friend, that one, he might actually _be_ trouble, something nasty about him, but I’ve not caught him at anything serious yet. Besides, he’s a follower, not a leader.  That’s about it, the entirety of Storybrooke’s ‘gang culture’ and most of them even like the library and Belle, though they’d die rather than admit it. Just boys with too much time and not enough supervision trying to be tough,” he told her. “I’ll point them out to you, when we see them. If it were Mr. Gold, I’d suspect Moe, but he’s more likely to take a swing and he would never do anything to hurt Belle or at least...”

“Yeah, I’ve met him. Don’t think he gets that what he’s doing _is_ hurting her,” Emma replied. “He got into it with Gold the first time we were here.”

“He took a swing at him in Granny’s way back at the beginning of the year. But it’s just not in him. Moe just doesn’t think,” the sheriff said. She heard the chair creak as he shifted. “Or rather, he thinks that he knows what is best for her, and refuses to believe he’s wrong. But something like this? No. I mean, there’s Gaston. He’s definitely juvenile enough.”

“Not enough brains?” she suggested. “Or creativity for that matter.”

“Something like that. He could have partners I suppose.”

“But he’s not exactly Mr. Personality. I can’t imagine...”

“Oh, he has friends, a few, all of them much the same though, too much time spent holding up the bar down at the Rabbit Hole, and most not stupid enough to get involved in something that would bring them to Gold’s attention. There are three or four young women who think he’s a catch, but again, pretty much everyone likes Belle and....” He stopped suddenly as a vehicle drove slowly past.

“Something?” Emma whispered.

“Not sure, but I think that truck has driven past before. Can’t tell with the light though,” he said, leaning to get a clearer look. Then Emma heard something coming from the other side, by the back door.

“Sounds like showtime,” she said with a smile. She hated waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope folks are enjoying. You know what to do. Here is a little more, and one step closer to finding out what is happening.


	3. Caught

The morning of the library Christmas party saw Belle up early. In fact, when Bae wandered into the kitchen, she was already dressed, sitting at the table with tea and what looked like a list and a planner, checking details.

“Good morning, I got the coffee maker out for you. Is Emma up?” Bae looked at the woman he was almost certain was very soon to be his step mother (or would be if his father had anything to say about it, he’d seen the ring last night), and blinked. He had not thought about what to say if she wasn’t back by morning. He’d woken up to a text message, but all it said was ‘nailed’, no details.

“Ummm...I...ah...” he stumbled. Belle laughed.

“I should know better than to ask you questions before coffee. I’m afraid that breakfast...”. Before she could say more, the back door opened and Emma came in. “Emma, what are you...”

“Hey Belle, sorry about this, but can you get Gold?” she asked. She looked tired, but she was smiling. “There is something you might want to see.”

“What? Has something happened?” the librarian asked.

“I would say...hard to explain. You had best see,” she said. “Just trust me. We can get breakfast at the diner afterward.” Emma walked over and put an arm around her husband.

“I...all right. I’ll just go see if Rum is dressed. Are you sure that...”

“It’s fine, really,” Emma reassured her. “You’d best put some pants on too, Cassidy,” she told him before giving him a kiss. The cats, who had been sleeping by the vent, rose to see what was going on. “I’ll feed those two.”

“Going,” Bae said. There was no way he was going to miss this, even if it meant going out without his coffee. He knew his wife well enough to trust that it would be worth it.

“Baelfire,” his father said as he stepped out of the bedroom. It was rare for his father to use his full first name like that, or not since he had been a kid, but he knew better than to spoil Emma’s surprise, not if he didn’t want to be sleeping in the Bug for the foreseeable future.

“Yes sir?” he asked, trying for an innocence than never worked for him.

“What are you and your lovely wife up to?” his father asked.

“You think Emma is lovely?” Bae responded. Distracting his father rarely worked, but it was what he had before coffee.

“Cheek. What have you done?”

“Me? I didn’t do anything. You’ll just have to ask Emma, this is her show.” But he smiled.

 

The ride into town was quiet. After the first three times Belle asked for information and got nowhere, she settled down to watch the familiar road go by. “I trust you can tell me where we are going, as I’m driving,” his father asked as they pulled out of the driveway. Emma was sending a text message.

“Head for Main Street. I don't think you will have trouble figuring it out,” she said looking down at her phone.

 

In a short time (thought it seemed longer to Bae, coffee deprived as he was), they were turning onto Main Street. Emma had been right, no trouble at all, considering the one and only Storybrooke Sheriff’s cruiser was parked right in front of the library with two other cars and a truck that looked like it had seen better days.

“What’s this? Please tell me nothing has happened to the library,” Belle cried. “I’ll never...”

“Sweetheart,” Gold said as he deftly pulled the Cadillac into a parking place. “I”m certain that everything is fine.” He met Emma’s eye in the mirror, but she said nothing.

It was on getting out of the car that they got a better look. Graham was standing with a small group of people, by the door, two boys, a man and woman who looked none too happy, and Gaston.

“Well, what have we here?” Gold asked in his most deceptively pleasant tone, approaching with his lady on his arm.

“Good of you to come, Mr Gold, we may very well need you as well,” Graham said. “But first, I think these two young men have something to say to you, don’t you?” He prodded the two of them to step forward.

“Felix, Peter, what have you done?” Belle asked. The tone of her voice showed the sort of disappointment that could only come from a respected teacher or librarian, the one that could make just about anyone reconsider their choices. Even Gaston was looking at his shoes, though why he was there hadn’t been explained yet, it was pretty clear he was handcuffed.

Then there were what Bae assumed were the parents. They were both looking at his father, probably wondering if he was going to be reconsidering their leases, or worse. “We didn’t mean anything by it,” the one boy, Peter, said. “We was just ‘avin’ a larf. I mean, I’m sorry Miss French, we didn’t fink...” The man next to him, probably his father, gave him a disapproving look. “We din’t know....”

“Ah, it all becomes clear,” Gold said sharply.

“Miss French, Mr. Gold, I’m so sorry,” the woman began. “I knew nothing about any of this. I’ll...”.

“Stop it Mom, I didn’t do anything that...” the other boy, Felix, began. But the woman was clearly having none of it.

“You are in serious trouble young man, and when your father gets home, he’s going to have something to say about all this. Legal fees, fines...maybe I should just let the sheriff lock you up,” she snapped. “I hope that you don’t...” This time, she was clearly addressing Mr. Gold, and everyone knew what she was thinking.

“I’ve never held someone’s parents against them, I suppose the same should apply the other way,” he said giving the boys a look that had grown men wondering about their legal status. He then turned the look on Gaston, but Graham intervened.

“Think that will do for now. As to the rest, I am going to have to see if Judge Herman, or Judge Midas has time with the holidays. Getting a court date and all. Of course, I have not spoken to Mr Spencer either, to see how he wants to charge them. Mr Gold, I assume that you will be consulting with him, as both town attorney, as well as the property owner.” As Graham continued, the boy’s eyes got wider and wider, and Felix’s mother looked like she was about to faint.

“I think that perhaps we might be able to handle this more quietly, without all the fuss of the courts, especially not with the holidays, and without them ending up with a juvenile record,” Gold said.

“Record?” Peter asked.

“I’m not entirely sure what the sheriff has in mind, but there is property damage, malicious mischief, vandalism, that’s a good start,” Gold said. “Once we have all the details.” This time he looked directly at Gaston, and so was Belle. The look was not at all pleasant.

“Very well,” Graham said. “For now, I will release them to their parents, if it is all right with Miss French. Of course, it goes without saying that they will not be allowed to attend the party. I will contact you on Monday. I trust that they will stay out of trouble?”

“Oh, they will,” Felix mother said. “He’s not going anywhere but home for the foreseeable future.”

With a few more words and a promise that both boys would be staying out of trouble, Graham allowed them to leave. “Now, as to the ring leader, I...”

“Gaston Gregory, what have you gotten those boys into, you...” Belle turned on the man. It hadn’t taken a lot to figure out what the man was doing there, in handcuffs.

“Who me? I didn’t...” he started to say, but Belle looked like she was going to slap him.

“Gaston was caught with the boys. Apparently he’s the one who drove them here, along with providing the magazines, and a few other things. At the moment he’s looking at two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, attempting to break and enter, damage of city property, and creating a nuisance. I’m sure there will be other civil charges?” Graham asked.

“Oh, there will be,” Gold said.

“Come on, it’s not a big deal. The boys just wanted to play some pranks, I just...”

“You just what? Graham, thank you for all your help, but please take him away. I’m not in the mood to deal with him. How could you, Gaston?” With that, she turned her back on him.

“I will see you all later then. Mr Gold, if you can come by the station later?” the sheriff asked.

“Certainly, and thank you.”

 

“So, Emma, care to tell me how you got yourself involved in this? Not that I am not grateful, of course,” Gold said as they walked towards the diner.

“Who me? I just realised that, what with the party and all, it would be prime time for that kind of asshole. I talked to Graham. He said that being a one man shop, he hadn’t been able to stake it out, so I volunteered to help him out last night. He kind of deputised me for the night. But we didn’t want to say anything in case nothing happened. Now, can we get on with the coffee and breakfast? I’m starving.” She deflected.

“Emma, thank you,” Belle said. “I’m really disappointed, though I shouldn’t be surprised. Gaston is Felix’s cousin. His father is a truck driver, so not around a lot. I just wish that...” Belle started.

“It will be okay. I’m sure that the boys with learn their lesson, or at least by the time Spencer and I are done, they will have. As to Gaston...” Gold shrugged.

“At least maybe your Dad will get the idea,” Emma suggested. There was probably more to the story, certainly she had heard a lot of blaming going around last night when they had rounded them up, but it was pretty clear where the negative role model was coming from. “What’s the deal with that Peter kid?”

“Ah, well, he came here when his mother married his stepfather. I think his real father is deceased, and his mum has been away dealing with a sick sister. Not sure he had his stepfather get along, and frankly, he’s too smart for his own good,” Gold explained.

“Well, can I recommend Community Service for both of them, a whole lot of community service?” Emma suggested. “But for now, lets get some food and then I’m going to take a nap, I kind of want to be awake to see this party.”

“You deserve it, you probably just helped save it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little post. There will be more of an explaination later, when we actually find out the whys and wherefore, but this will hopefully hold you until then. You know what to do, and where to find the little box.


	4. Fallout

The four of them made their way to the diner where Emma ordered a very large breakfast and even larger coffee. “Just keep pouring,” she told Ruby.

“You got it. I hear that you helped Graham arrest the pranksters,” she commented before rushing off, coffee pots in both hands, to answer a shout. Morning at Granny’s was always bustling.

“I don’t understand,” she said sadly. “Gaston is a bully, and hardly intelligent, but this... I just can’t get my head around it, and the boys. Felix is a bit...but really, I just...” She was clearly distraught by the turn of events, even though she was relieved for it to finally be over.

“I don’t know the whole story, the boys weren’t talking, and I’m not sure about the dynamic, but I kind of got the impression that Gaston talked them into it by convincing them it would be funny and make them look tough, give their little gang some of what passes for street cred here,” Emma told her.

“Gaston is not a great thinker, but he’s smart enough to know that the boys will get a slap on the wrist and no criminal record,” Gold remarked. “You know that Felix, he’s always been one to try an impress his cousin. That boy will come to a bad end if he’s not careful. His mum can’t really control him, and as for his father, well, his being away most of the time is the best thing he can do for them. I have my suspicions about how he treats his wife, and so does Graham, he’s had to go out there before. I would have seen him prosecuted, but Spencer never has cared too much about domestic issues.” There was a bit of anger and bitterness in his voice that Emma had never heard before. Thinking about the limited things Bae had said after the last trip, maybe it wasn’t all that surprising, actually.

“What about the other one, Peter?” she asked. “Graham says he’s smart and apparently he’s the leader.”

“Peter is actually a brilliant boy, but I don’t think he’s very happy. He doesn’t get on with his stepfather, and I suspect there is a lot that has to do with not wanting to move here in the first place. The two of them being stuck together while his mum’s in England isn’t helping. I know that’s where his mum met him, something to do with the military I think, he works down at the base south of here, but it’s a long commute, and not a lot of supervision,” Belle explained.

“He’s a hard man, but fair,” Gold commented. “Don’t think he knows what to do with the lad. He’s no children of his own, so being a father suddenly like that, not everyone is up to it, especially if the child is not their own, and especially when the child resents him.”

“I just hope that this lesson sinks in,” Belle added, biting her lip.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll have a talk with Judge Herman, he owes me a favour or two,” Gold promised, her laying a gentle hand on her arm. “Gaston, well, he can take care of himself.”

 

After breakfast, Bae drove Emma back to the house and tucked her into their bed in his father’s guest room. “I guess soon we will be doing this in our own place,” Bae said. “Are you ready for this?”

“As long as you understand, you are doing the PTA meetings and baking the cookies,” she said sleepily.

He kissed her and, with a promise to return for her in time, he left.

Bae stopped at his father’s shop briefly only to be shooed out to help Belle. “This means a lot to her, go see if she needs you. I’ve a few repairs today, so I’m a bit tied up. I will be by later though, make an appearance for the programming.”

At the library, however, he was welcomed with open arms, even if those arms were full of table drapes. Then David Nolan, newly arrived, drafted him as soon as he finished helping cover the tables, to set up the portable pen for the puppies, and to help move animals from the back of the truck. “Glad for the help, my assistant is down with the ‘flu, but this is such an important event. Actually, I could use your help for a little longer if you don’t mind. Can you watch these guys, while I go get the rest? Who knows, maybe you will take one back to the big city?”

Bae started to say something but stopped himself just in time. After all, they needed to tell his father first. Not that he thought it would matter, he and Emma had never been in a place to have a pet. “Okay thanks. The forms are there and please call your father if someone is interested, but rents from him. I’m sure it’s annoying for him, but...”

“Hey, better safe. Besides, between you and me, Papa likes dogs more than a lot of people.”

“You said it, not me. But since he and Belle got together, he’s been a lot, well, I wouldn’t say friendly, but...”

“He’s happy. To tell the truth, he’s happier than he’s been for a long time,” Bae told him.

“They are good together. I never could figure out what her dad was thinking with the whole Gaston thing. I’ll be back,” David told him and hurried off, leaving Bae minding the store so to speak. It was nice, to be able to talk to old friends. In fact, one of the things that made moving to Storybrooke good was that they weren’t moving somewhere that they didn’t know anyone, even if he hadn’t seen most of them in years. Then there was getting to know their son, and spending time with his father. Besides, Bae loved his wife desperately, and he would never have done anything to interfere with her career, but in Storybrooke, he didn’t have to worry about her getting shot as much.

“Hey Papa,” a voice called him out of his thoughts. He was still getting used to that. Henry was walking over towards him.

“Hey kid, what are you up to?”

“Came to wrap presents. We swap out with the Girl Scouts, but it’s a big day. You know, we are saving for the big camping trip. Why are you here?”

“David asked me to watch the place for him,” Bae said, giving his son a one armed hug. “Just watching these guys.” He showed him the pen with the puppies all wrestling with one another.

“That one is pretty cool,” Henry said, looking at one of them. The puppy, sensing interest, came over to give him a sniff and a little lick. It looked like some kind of mixed sheep dog, very mixed. Henry reached out and petted it. “Mom won’t let me have one,” he said regretfully. “She says I’m not ready for the responsibility and she won’t take care of it. He’s pretty cool though.” With a last regretful pat, Henry turned and headed inside with a wave at his father.

 _He was a really cute dog though_ , Bae thought. He reminded him a little of the dog they had when he’d been little. Who knows, he thought. _Maybe Em is finally up to a dog_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have to apologise to everyone. My grandmother passed away, and dealing with that has taken a lot out of both me and my writing time. I hope you enjoy this, and I hope that with a little luck I am back to a regular schedule of writing. Thank you for reading, please do that thing you need to do.


	5. New Beginings

With the return of David, Bae was released to go inside and see what else Belle had for him. He had nothing to do before he had to go wake up Em. “I heard Mom helped the sheriff arrest the jerks who’ve been hassling Belle,” his son said, motioning him over when he came back in. “Why was she doing that? Not the helping part, I get that. I mean why was she hanging around with Graham. This isn’t...” he asked curiously, but there was definitely some nervousness there, probably especially because of Graham’s relationship with Regina. “Everything is good with you and Mom I mean, right?”

Bae wanted to laugh, but then he was pretty sure that, despite everything, it was a lot harder on Henry than he acted like, having found them, trying to build a relationship with them and all the baggage that came with it.

“It’s all good, kid. No, she just wanted to give Belle something she needed for the holidays. They were talking about the vandalism, and figured since she was a cop too, she could help him out without causing too much trouble. Besides, you know how hard it is to get anything for Belle, it’s not like with Papa around she _needs_ anything..”

“Yeah. Well, maybe her dad will get a clue now. He’s been being kind of a jerk to her too,” Henry said quietly, looking around, but everyone else was busy.

“How do you know that?” Bae asked. He didn’t want to think his son was spying on Belle, but he didn’t have a lot of confidence in what he knew about Moe French.

“He came into the library last week and they were fighting, only he didn’t know I was there. I was finishing homework in the back before I went to have dinner with her and Grandpa.”

Every time Bae heard his son say Grandpa, he wanted to smile. “What happened?” he asked. Not that he was surprised. He’d heard about their issues before.

“He started out nice, said he wanted to take her out and asked if she was coming over for Christmas dinner. But when she said she was cooking and he was welcome to come over, but not if he was going to bring Gaston with him, he got mad and started yelling until I came out. Then he growled something and left. Belle asked me not to tell Grandpa,” Henry explained.

“So, you figured you would tell me, and if _I_ happened to mention it...” Bae suggested.

“Yeah, something like that.”

 

Bae spent the rest of the morning lending a hand where he could. He saw his father briefly, but when he asked, he’d been told he could be more help where he was. In addition to helping getting things moved and chairs arranged neatly, he subbed for David when he needed a break (and having a quiet chat about a certain puppy that, after being so friendly with him and Henry was content to lay back and let the others work the ‘crowd’), and generally made himself useful. It was easy enough and he spent part of it thinking about all the things that had changed.

Yesterday, while Emma was talking to Regina, he’d finally gotten some time to have a real chat with Graham. He’d not been sure how to ask, or even _if_ he should, after all, it really wasn’t his business, but he was curious. “Guess this year Christmas will be easier. Are you bringing Regina?” He was trying for subtle, really. In his head he could hear Emma’s voice. ‘Smooth, Cassidy.’

“I...I don’t know,” Graham said. “I mean, I know you are having her and Henry, and Belle’s invited me, but...”

“What do you mean? It’s not like it needs to be a secret anymore. Henry knows, we know...so...I mean,”. Bae left off lamely.

“It’s just, it’s not like that with Regina and me,” Graham said. “We just kind of...”

“You can tell me to butt out, but how did you end up with her anyway? I mean, it’s not like we ever had anything to do with her in school, and she’s a few years older.”

“That’s the thing, it isn’t like we...Even knowing that it’s not the secret we thought it was hasn’t changed anything. Regina and I, it just kind of happened. I was engaged for a while during college.  My fiancée died in a car wreck up in Boston, and...”

“Oh, man, sorry, I didn’t know. You don’t...” Bae started, feeling like a real idiot for not checking with his father first.

“No, it’s okay. Point is, after that, I wasn’t really interested in anyone, and Regina’s not exactly...Well, her luck’s no better‘n what mine is. Anyway, it was just after I was elected sheriff, I was over there one night, checking for a prowler that turned out to be a family of raccoons in her bins. She invited me in, and...well, things just kind of went from there. We’ve never really talked about it,” Graham had ended lamely.

“Didn’t mean to stick my nose into your business.”

“It’s okay. I mean, she’s a beautiful woman, but it’s not as if we are in love. More like we’re comfortable, familiar like. Think we both know it’s not going anywhere.”

Bae wasn’t sure how to feel, but he was still mulling it over as he climbed up the ladder to adjust a string of fairy lights that had slipped. He knew Graham didn’t have a lot of people to talk to. He’d always been quiet and kind of shy. Not that he was in a place to talk. He worked at home, so he didn’t have a lot of work colleagues, and Em didn’t much socialise with the guys in her squad. After all, she was the only woman. She had a couple friends from the academy, but overall, the two of them still tended to rely on each other, maybe a little too much. Still, maybe that would change now, small town, people that they could actually get to know. He made a mental note to talk to Em about having some people over when they got settled.

 

“That’s the last one,” Leroy called from the bottom of the ladder where he was holding it. “We are going to knock off for lunch. You want to come?”

“No, Belle brought lunch for us,” he said. The other man nodded and took Dove with him. Everything was pretty much as set up as it was going to be. The Boy Scouts had knocked off and now it was only he and Belle, her finishing all the last minute preparations, as the excitement was starting to build.

“What’s that, Papa?” he asked when his father came to join them for lunch, carrying a suit bag over his arm.

“This?” he asked, looking a little odd.

“Oh good, I was going to call,” Belle said. “Can you put it in my office?”

“Of course, love,” Rum said with a passing kiss.

“I had to pick up the Santa suit from the cleaners yesterday and I left it hanging at the shop,” Belle explained hurriedly. She seemed a little anxious, but he put it down to excitement about the party, not to mention nerves. He just hoped everything went well, and that her father stayed away. He hadn’t quite figured out when or if he should mention what Henry told him. Not now, he knew.

“Yeah, makes sense,” he said, trying to distract himself. “Who did you get to...”

“Now Bae, you should know better,” his father said, coming out unburdened. “Got to keep the secret, for the children.”

“Sure, Papa, but who...”

“We had best eat while we can. At 1:00 we kick off with Regina’s welcome, then the high school band, and...”

“Yeah, I get it. Crazy time.”

“Yes. The PTA already started dropping off desserts, I’ve got them on the book cart, and the nuns will be here for the clothing drive, we are a bit late this year, but...”

“I get it. I meant to ask, not that we aren’t glad to be here for everything, but I thought last year...”

“School ran a bit later, snow days. It’s expected to be a bad winter, and they didn’t want to run too long in summer,” Belle explained.

“Since it works for us, I can’t complain. Besides, I know Henry entered something in the writing contest. He wouldn’t tell me what though.’

“Yes, he’s an excellent writer, but I don’t know what he entered. It’s blind judging, and they thought I would be too likely to recognise the writing styles. That’s why Mary Margaret and some of the teachers from the Elementary school judged the high school kids and visa versa. They will announce them, or rather Regina will when she opens things up.”

“Sounds fair.”

“It’s best. Everyone knows Henry is about the best writer in the school,” Rum said proudly. “Wouldn’t want anyone making accusations.” Bae just nodded and finished his lunch. When he finished, he took a few photos before people showed up. He had not lied to his father, he still loved photography, even sold pictures occasionally, though he made his living doing freelance design and lay out. Actually, he kept thinking about that walk in closet in the loft, and what a good darkroom it would make.

 

He finished helping the nuns and was about to go get Emma up, when a face from the past showed up. “Archie?” he asked, smiling.

“Bae, heard you were over here. I missed you the last time you were here.” The redhead shook his hand.

“Papa told me you were back.”

“Yeah, after I finished school, I just, I guess I wanted to come home,” he told Bae.

“He said. I didn’t think there would be a lot...” he paused uncomfortably.

“Oh, enough. I’m on staff down at the state hospital too, that’s why I missed you last time, so I do all right. So I heard about Henry. Are you...”

“We’re still figuring it out,” Bae explained.

“Well, you know my door’s always open. But I’d better get busy. I’m helping Granny and Ruby set the drinks up.” At the mention of Ruby, Archie blushed a little, and Bae wondered if his helping out had more to do with Belle’s friend, than a desire to help with the party. Archie had always been shy around girls though. They separated to their tasks, promising to talk later. Bae figured with all the people who wanted to catch up, he would be doing that well into the New Year.

 

He was just about to leave to pick up Emma when Regina came in. Immediately he tensed. Just because things were getting better, and his wife told him they were good, he still wasn’t so sure. “Regina,” he said cautiously.

“Bae.” She seemed equally cautious. “I heard your wife helped with the vandal problem.” He nodded and she looked around before stepping closer. “Getting started already. I...This is not...”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Just so you know, _you_ are on the hook for chaperoning the Boy Scout camping trip,” she said quietly. It wasn’t exactly a welcome, but it wasn’t a threat either. It was something. “I gather you haven’t told anyone.”

“Christmas,” he said. Regina nodded and then left him as she was called away for some scheduling details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know it’s been forever, but I thought maybe I would have time to finish it this year. It’s been quite a year, but I’m still here, still plugging away. And if you are still reading, thank you. Please drop me a comment, so I know that people are still reading.


	6. Party

“This is never going to work,” Rum grumbled for the fourth time in as many minutes as he stood with her at the back of the large room.

“It’ll be fine,” Belle reassured him. “We’ve managed so far.”

“Aye, but my son and his wife weren’t here then.” He’d realised the issue when he brought the suit over. Fortunately Belle had covered for him in that moment, but he was having second, third, fourth thoughts. The original agreement between himself and Belle, that he would fill the Santa suit, had been contingent on no one knowing it was him. Of course, no one would ever suspect him, and because he had no children of Santa Claus age, he could easily make his appearance and then his excuses, reappearing last year with the excuse of meeting Belle, with no one the wiser. But that was before.

“It will be fine. Henry is too old for Santa, and will probably be busy with the present wrapping like last year. Or maybe they will take him off somewhere. After all, what boy his age wants to stand around and watch the younger kids?” She was busy trying to ease his concerns while they listened to the high school chorus. Of course, he was going to stay for the announcement of the winners of the writing contest before he made his public exit (and private reentry).

“Hey Papa, you want us to save you a seat?” his son asked.

“No, no need for that, son. I’ll be going off as soon as the awards are done with. I’ve a couple of repairs I want to have done,” he extemporised. “Not like Henry’s not too old for Santa. I’ll be back afterwards. Besides, I’ve...”

“Got to feed the little ones,” Belle reminded him. “As long as you do make it back.” Bae looked at Emma and rolled is eyes. Really, those cats were too spoiled.

“Oh, I’ll be back for the end,” he said smiling at her.

“You mean you will be back for the desserts, I know better,” she teased gently. “But you had best not spoil your dinner.”

Bae had to smile at them. It was nice to see the way they cared for each other. He only wished it had happened sooner. Life would have been very different if his mother had been even a little bit like Belle, or he’d gotten involved with someone like her instead of Cora. Just thinking of that woman irritated him. Of course, if things hadn’t happened they way they had, he would never have met Emma, never had Henry. Overall, he was pretty content with life right now, he thought as he put an arm around his wife and found them some seats, all the while they fielded compliments and congratulations about the capture of the vandals. “About time they caught those hooligans,” old Mrs. Hubbard, his father’s neighbour, said. “But it’s not as if Graham could watch the place every minute.”

“Not used to people being so glad about me doing my job,” Emma whispered, just a little disturbed. “Even the parents didn’t give us much flak.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure they will get over it once you hand out a couple of parking tickets,” he said.

“Or speeding tickets,” Emma commented. “Graham says that Ruby Lucas and the Doctor, what’s his name, the one your father calls ‘the quack’, they are the worst offenders.”

“Whale, Doctor Whale, and Papa calls all doctors quacks, just with Doc it was always said with a certain amount of affection.”

“Yeah, well Whale doesn’t strike me as the kind to inspire affection,” Emma said.

“There is something about him, I just can’t quite remember, something with his brother, I think. Something happened, but I can’t put my finger on it. I’ll ask Graham later. But I’d vote for mad scientist myself. I do remember he blew up the chemistry lab at the high school the year before I went away. That pretty much covers all I know about him. Now...”

“Probably. So what’s with your father? I mean, with Belle and the party, I would think...”

“I figure he’s easing into it. Before, he didn’t have a lot of reason to come, except for Belle, and being on the council. But I think a lot of the family stuff probably just hurt too much.” Emma leaned a little closer. She knew he felt a little guilty for the years he’d lost with his father. She did too, since she hadn’t encouraged him. How could she, what did _she_ know about it? The only families she’d ever had were fosters and most of them, well, some tried, but those were the ones that she usually got dragged out of just as she was getting settled. But maybe things would be different now.

The announcement of the contest winners brought some smiles and some disappointments, but for Bae, the best moment, even beyond his son winning the prize for best essay in the middle school group, was the title, ‘What makes a family’. It was going to be published in the _Mirror_ tomorrow, and he was certain that for once his father wouldn’t either make disparaging comments about the journalism or threaten to sue. In fact, he caught his father’s eye, and he might have just seen him tear up. Bae knew he was, even as he clapped super loud for his son. Regina even smiled. She also announced that, due to the expanded categories this year, only the winners of the poetry division would read their entries. This also brought a certain amount of cheering from parents who were worried about dealing with cranky children that would still not be willing to go home until they had their turn with Santa.

“Did good, kid,” he said as his son slid into the seat they had saved for him. He also watched as his father came over and put a brief hand on the boy’s shoulder. Rum Gold had never been the most demonstrative father, especially after the way Milah had been. Bae distinctly remembered some of the things she’d said and, through his adult eyes, he was kind of surprised his father had kept on with his determination to keep the family together. It had been her that left them in the end. But then he also wasn’t too surprised when his father slipped out shortly after while they were setting up for the reading of ‘A Visit from Saint Nick’ by Judge Herman. Time, they all needed time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, still here, and still adding. I will admit that while everything seems nice and fluffy, that can change. Now, thank you for the responses, please let me know if you like what I’m doing.


	7. New Arrivals

“Excuse me,” someone greeted Regina as she stood waiting for a cup of coffee at the drinks station, usually the circulation desk. The voice was unfamiliar and Regina turned around to glare...and stopped. The sandy haired man standing in front of her was not familiar. “I wonder if you could help me?” He asked. Handsome, that was Regina’s first thought, in a rugged, outdoorsy sort of way, blue jeans, heavy jacket over flannel, and an accent that placed him squarely on the other side of the Atlantic. What he wasn’t, was someone she knew. She drew herself up and was just about to make a cutting remark when she noticed the boy clinging to his pant leg.

“Yes?” she asked carefully, a neutral expression on her face.

“Could you...” The boy tugged at his pant leg urgently. Cute kid, she guessed somewhere between two and three. “Could you tell me where the gents is? First things, it’s been a long trip and...”

As a mother, it didn’t take more for her to recognise the signs. She pointed him quickly in the right direction and he hurried off, picking the boy up as he went. Then she turned back around.

“Here you go, Regina, fresh pot. Sorry, not much call for coffee,” Ruby said. “Who was that?”

“I didn’t get a name,” she snapped just a little, taking the cup as she turned towards the direction they had gone in.

“Cute,” Ruby pronounced before going back to other drinks, while Regina stood in thought.

A few minutes later, he returned, the boy still clinging to his pant leg, but less urgently. This was more like normal little boy shyness and Regina couldn’t help but smile. “Sorry about that, some things...”

“I understand,” she said. “I have a son, I remember the days.” What was she doing, she wondered. She didn’t usually talk to strangers like that. Actually she didn’t usually run into strangers. Tourists had little reason to come to the mayor’s office.

“Ah. But now that we’ve taken care of that emergency, I was wondering, could you possibly point me in the direction of a Mrs Lucas? We have reservations at the Bed and Breakfast, but we are very late. There is a sign on the door that said to come here.”

“Mrs Lucas and her granddaughter are the ones serving drinks. So, are you and your family here for a long visit, Mr...”

“Locksley, Robert, but everyone calls me Robin,” he said, taking the hand that she didn’t realise she had extended. “And quite possibly. I’m here for work. But we need a place to stay while we look for something permanent. Didn’t want to try one of those dodgy on line agencies, like to see what I’m putting me money down on first.”

“I’m Regina Mills, the mayor of Storybrooke, and I doubt you would find anything on line, Mr...”

“Robin, please,” he said with a smile. “And this fine big lad is Roland.”

“Nice to meet you, Roland,” she said, looking down at the boy. He smiled shyly and hid his head in his father’s leg. She also noticed that Robin had no ring, but what work could he possibly be looking for in Storybrooke? “So what is it that you are here to do? We are hardly a metropolis.”

“I’m here to take up a position with the forestry service. Apparently they need a specialist to handle some...well, I’m sure you aren’t interested in the boring details. But I’m sorry to take you away from your party.”

“Not at all, it’s a town event, open to the public. Besides...”

“Santa...” the little boy said suddenly, the first thing he had said.

“Yes, I’m sure that Santa knows that...”

“Santa,” the boy said more emphatically, this time pointing to the poster hanging on the wall while tugging at his father’s pant leg.

“Ahhh....that’s...”

“Actually, you are just in time,” Regina said. She was wondering what had gotten into her, but she put it down to the boy. He was a bit like Henry at that age. “Santa will be making his appearance pretty soon now. I am sure you will want to let him know where to find you. Just in case.” The little boy smiled up at her and let go of his father for the first time. It was so easy when they were that age, she reflected.

“Are you sure, we’d not want...” Robin said very softly.

“Ruby and Granny Lucas are a bit busy right at the moment anyway. Do you need to...” she pointed vaguely at the door. “Is it just the two of you?” she managed finally. Since when did she ever have trouble expressing herself, she wondered. _What’s_ _gotten_ _into_ you?  _Regina_ , _pull_ _yourself_ _together_ , a voice in her head that sounded a lot like her mother’s whispered urgently.

“It’s just the two of us. I’m a widower,” he explained.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, feeling her cheeks heating. When did she start blushing, she wondered.

“You had no way of knowing. But are you sure we won’t be disrupting things?  I wouldn’t want to cause problems, but I admit I could stand not to get back in the car for a bit, stretch my legs.”

Regina thought for a minute. “Why don’t you get a drink and speak to Ruby and I will take care of a couple of things,” she said with a smile. _Stop_ _flirting_ _with_ _that_ _man_ , the voice said. _I_ _am_ not _flirting_ , _just_ _getting_ _to_ _know_ _a_ _new_ _potential_ _resident_ _and_ _making_ _a_ _scared_ _little_ _boy_ _happy_ , Regina told herself. _I_ _am_ happy, _I_ _have_ _Graham_ , _I’m_ _not_ _interested_ _and_...Even she didn’t believe herself.

The evening ended as expected with the triumphant appearance of Santa Claus in Storybrooke. Regina had grabbed Belle for a quick whispered conversation on the newest addition to Storybrooke. As expected, it was no problem. She was not surprised that the librarian had a few extra presents stowed away, just in case. But the best moment was the joy of Roland running to his father after Belle helped him off the small stage, a present clutched in one arm. “Da, da, he knew my name! He _is_ the real Santa.” The other parents laughed and the rest of the children, especially those who were struggling with belief looked at the man in the red suit with renewed awe (and possibly a little concern about which list they were on). There were happy, tired smiles all around as Santa stood and Sidney snapped the obligatory picture for the paper, while the parents cheered and ushered their charges off, and the curtain came down on another year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is absolutely and possitively NOT full of angst. Nothing here but tooth rotting fluff. Enjoy.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I’ve been MIA but it’s been a bit crazy for me. I hope this little addition to my Secret Santa ‘verse makes up. I will be back to the others as soon as I have time to type. You know what to do. Keep the muse happy, comment.


End file.
